BRC rejects call for minimum pricing on alcohol

Published: 28 September, 2009

Minimum alcohol pricing will penalise the majority of customers who are responsible drinkers by forcing up prices and reducing choice, according to the British Retail Consortium in response to the latest claims from the Royal College of Physicians.

The RCP's latest call for minimum alcohol pricing has been made as the ruling Labour party starts its annual conference in Brighton. The BRC said it was wrong to assume that only problem drinkers buy value products. Introducing minimum pricing would simply force up the price for the majority of people who buy alcohol as part of their weekly shop and consume it perfectly responsibly with their family and friends, claimed the BRC.

It said changing the culture around alcohol was a much more effective way of tackling the problem.

Andrew Opie, the BRC's food director, said: "It's wrong to assume that only problem drinkers buy value goods. Minimum pricing simply penalises ordinary shoppers, such as families looking for value, who buy alcohol as part of their weekly shop and consume it responsibly with their family and friends. Without a comprehensive strategy excessive drinkers will just find the money to buy more expensive alcohol without changing their behaviour.

"The price of alcohol is not the issue - it's the person consuming it. Retailers are working closely with the Department of Health to promote responsible alcohol consumption and already provide on-pack unit labelling to help customers make more informed choices.

"The most effective of way of tackling problem drinkers is not using price, but changing the culture around alcohol."